Warren Co. rounds up sex offenders on Halloween

Have you ever wondered where sex offenders are on Halloween? In one community, they're all in the same place.

During trick-or-treat hours between 5:30 and 8 p.m., all sex
offenders in Warren County stay at the courthouse.

Officials say it's a way to keep tabs on what these men and women and ensure they don't have any contact with kids going door to door
for the holiday.

"We have some officers go out and they're checking the residences of
the offenders making sure there's no Halloween decorations out, making sure
candy isn't being given out, and porch lights aren't on," said Probation Chief Richard Gilmore.

Gilmore says this
program requires every registered sex offender in Warren County to come to a
therapy session, regardless of what they're convicted of doing.

"It just takes a look at what's going on and make some good decisions
so they can make good pro social decisions from now on," said Gilmore.

Offenders who work during these hours must be cleared by the parole
office. If someone doesn't show up, Gilmore says they'll have patrol cars visit
the residence to make sure they know about the required meeting.

He says
they've received a lot of praise from the community.

"When they see the cars coming through the neighborhoods and slowing
down and walking through the neighborhoods with them, it just lets them know
that we're concerned," said Gilmore.

There's no Ohio law banning sex offenders from participating in Halloween,
but many counties send parole officers to the homes to recommend they don't
pass out candy. Warren County simply takes it to the next level.

"The thing that's important about it is everybody benefits from it,
including the offender, and that's what we want to do in the rehabilitative
process, so yeah it's a good thing," Gilmore stated.

Between 50 and 60 sex offenders were at the courthouse on
Halloween this year, and that's 100% compliance.

The program started eight years ago, and since then a handful of
other communities have adopted similar protocol.

Here in the city that's home to "University-6," as the University of Louisville is identified in a federal criminal complaint filed by the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the feeling of devastation is exceeded only by anger and disbelief.

Here in the city that's home to "University-6," as the University of Louisville is identified in a federal criminal complaint filed by the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the feeling of devastation is exceeded only by anger and disbelief.